Separable fastener



Sept. 26, 1939.

s. T. scHo'l-IELD S EPARABLE FAS TENER Filed Aug. 24, 1938 Patented Sept. 26, 1,939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to separable fasteners or bracket constructions adapted for holding detachably together any two members or elements which it is desired to hold assembled. The device of my invention has wide fields of application such as the holding of an operated member as a mop or a brush head detachably connected to its operating handle, this typifying any operating and operated members which are to be detachably held together,-another field of use being the de tachable securing of any member to be held, such as a flag pole to a fixed socket. A principal object of the invention is to provide a separable fastener or bracket, the two parts of which are adapted for convenient and easy assemblage, or separation, and when so assembled they are rigidly and securely interlocked, providing an exceptionally strong and reliable connection. A further object is to provide a two-piece separable fastener, both of the parts o-f which are adapted to be cheaply and easily produced as metal stampings from ordinary sheet or plate metal. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the distinctive features of novelty will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing;

Figure 1 is a front View of a separable fastener embodying the invention with the two parts thereof assembled together;

Figure 2 is a rear View of the fastener;

Figure 3 is an edge view thereof; Y

Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a central lengthwise section on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an elevation showing one of the fastener elements and;

Figure 7 is an elevation showing the other fastener element.

I0 indicates the socket or base member of the fastener which may be produced from sheet or plate metal of the requisite thickness for the d-esired strength. The end portions of this member are shown as somewhat laterally extended to provide apertured ears II through which screws or bolts may be passed for securing it to a head or base. The intermediate portion I2 of this member is made wedge shaped as indicated at I3 with its edges turned over as seen at III to provide a dove-tail or wedge shaped socket adapted to receive the other member of the fastener. The turned over edges I4 have small cut-outs I5 near the larger end of the dove-tail formation to receive projections on the other member of the fas-v tener as presently explained, The dovetail portion I2 also has produced centrally thereof and near its larger vend a small struck-out hump or 5 projection I6 for holding the other fastener member properly centered.

The other member Il of the fastener is also preferably produced from a single piece of sheet or plate metal which should be somewhat resilient 10 in character. One end portion of this piece is bent to constitute a socket I8 which may be approximately circular in cross section adapted toreceive an operating handle, or to receive any member to be held such as a flag pole when the l5 device is used to hold such a member iixedly in place. The other end portion of the member Il is formed as two fiat portions or wings I8 in the same plane and somewhat spaced apart as indicated at I9. These flat or wing portions I 8 are adapted to t into the dove-tail or wedge socket provided by the portion I2 of the other member and when so fitted in place small lugs or pro-jections 20 on the outer edges of these wing members are adapted to snap into the cut-outs I5 of the 25 other member; it being understood that the portions I 8 are somewhat pressed toward each other resiliently as they are fitted into the wedge socket, the extensions from the socket portion I8 which merge into the wings I8', serving as a spring bow to provide such resiliency. Thus it is possible and practicable' to provide for the requisite resiliency of the portions I8', even though the holder I8 when holding the handle or the like may not of itself provide such resilient action. The two wing, or flat portions I8' have ears 2| extending outwardly therefrom, these ears being disposed side by side and spaced apart a small distance as seen in Figure 1 so that they may be readily grasped between the thumb and finger to press the wing members I8' together for facilitating assemblage of these members in the socket, the lugs 20 being adapted to snap into the cut-outs I5 when the two parts of the fastener are in properly assembled relation, to hold them rigidly and securely together against looseness or displacement. When it is desired to open the fastener it is merely necessary to grasp the ears 2| and press them together which releases the lugs 25 from the cut- 50 outs I5 whereupon the head member I'I may be readily removed from the socket member I0. In this operation, the hump I 6 extending inward between the wing members I8 acts as a centering member and insures that both of the wings will 55 be sprung inward so that both of the lugs 20 will be cleared of their respective cut-outs l5.

While I have shown the socket portion I8 which is adapted to receive the handle or the like, as extending diagonally outward at about a 45 angle, from the base, it will be understood that this is merely illustrative and that this socket formation may be made to extend at any desired angle, or straight out from the base if desired. In this and other respects the present embodiment of the invention is to be understood as i1- lustrative and not restrictive as I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. I therefore d-esire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive and refer to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A separable bracket construction comprising a base member having a wedge shaped portion formed as a dove-tail socket, and a head member formed as a tubular receiver socket having spring portions extending diagonally endwise therefrom, adapted to be pressed into said dove-tail socket,

said two portions having cooperative provision to 2. A separable bracket construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring portions are equipped with projecting hand pieces arranged adjacent each other and side by side so that they are adapted to be pressed toward each other to disengag-e said spring portions from the dove-tail socket.

3. A separable bracket construction comprising a base member having a wedge shaped portion formed as a dove-tail socket, and a head member having spring portions adapted to be pressed into said dove-tail socket, said two portions having cooperative provision toconstitute a spring snap lock when said head member is engaged in said socket, said socket member and head member equipped with cooperative means to center the head member with respect to the socket member when it is sprung to clear said socket member.

4. A separable bracket construction comprising a plate formed as a base member with a wedge shaped portion having bent over edges to constitute a dove-tail socket with cut-outs in said bent over edges, and a one piece head member formed with one portion to constitute a tubular receiver for a handle, pole or the like, and having resilient wing portions extending from an end of said tubular receiver portion adapted to fit resiliently into said socket, and presenting projections adapted to snap into said cut-outs.

SAMUEL T. SCHOFIELD. 

